He added: "Abortion is an offensive act under Islamic law." This is why some refugees confiscated the UNFPA material, which included contraceptives and the morning-after pill, which can cause early abortions.

Sources close to the U.N. agency contended that UNFPA is primarily concerned with "family planning," and that abortions are not imposed but proposed.

However, according to Vatican Radio, the refugees´ representatives confirmed that Afghan women have been pressured to submit to abortions "without a real informed consensus."